Indonesia: Leuser

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What European Union funding has been provided for the Leuser Management Unit in Acheh, northern Sumatra; and whether they will seek a review of this project in the light of allegations of illegal logging and the decision by the local authorities to construct the Ladia Galaska road network in the area of the Leuser Park.

Baroness Amos: The European Commission has provided a grant of 35 million euros to the Government of Indonesia to fund the Leuser Development Programme. The original seven-year implementation phase was extended for a further two years to allow for fund raising activities by the newly established Leuser International Foundation. The foundation will continue the management of the Leuser Ecosystem for a period of 20 years from 2004.
	Two local NGOs and one national NGO active in illegal logging monitoring, Yayasan Leuser Lestari, Pagar Alam Semesta and Forest Watch Indonesia (all funded by DfID's Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme), continue to express concern about continuing illegal logging within the Leuser National park. They cite three recent allegations:
	(1) Lack of serious investigation by authorities of illegal logging in the upper watersheds of Bukit Lawang in Bahorok.
	(2) Involvement of local elite political party members in illegal logging in Karo, North Sumatra and Aceh Tenggara, including some with links to the Leuser International Foundation.
	(3) Continued indecision or inability to limit the scope of the Ladia Galaska road network through the Leuser National Park.
	A comprehensive review of the Leuser Development Programme has just been completed (October 2004) which concludes that this programme has achieved the conservation of 2.6 million hectare of forest. It acknowledges that reports of illegal logging do continue. The Leuser Management Unit, established to manage the project, considers that illegal logging is much reduced but that continued vigilance is necessary. The review identifies significant lessons and makes constructive recommendations for improvement in management.
	The Ladia-Galaska road project has not yet been approved and the new government have indicated that they wish to take a decision on this as a priority. The Leuser Management Unit and the Leuser International Foundation continue to oppose the contruction of the road.

Indonesia: Leuser

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will extend the United Kingdom-Indonesian Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation to Improve Forest Law, Enforcement and Governance and Combat Illegal Logging and the International Trade in Illegally Logged Products, so as to allow international monitoring of illegal logging in areas under the control of the military; and what action has been taken to investigate allegations made by Mr M Basyah, project director of the Leuser Management Unit, concerning illegal logging in the Leuser National Park.

Baroness Amos: The Memorandum of Understanding aims to strengthen the capacity of the Indonesian Government and Indonesian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to tackle illegal logging. Some training of Indonesian NGOs in monitoring has been provided by international NGOs, with financial support provided under the Memorandum of Understanding. However, no formal international monitoring of logging activities is planned.
	Future support to monitoring by Indonesian NGOs will focus on West Kalimantan and Jambi provinces. This monitoring is likely to cover illegal logging activities by the military.
	On the second part of the question, findings released in local papers and magazines have been overwhelming about the existence of illegal loggers in the park. These reports have also been confirmed by heads of two districts and the Leuser National Office. Local NGOs are frustrated at the lack of progress in addressing illegal logging in the National Park. The Leuser Management Unit continues to pass on allegations and reports of illegal logging to the police and the Ministry of Forestry for further investigation, but the Leuser Management Unit cannot itself instigate criminal proceedings; this is the responsibility of the Government of Indonesia. In the past, there has been a lack of political will to tackle illegal logging in Indonesia. However, following the recent elections, with the new ministerial team, there is the prospect of real change. The Leuser International Foundation has met the new Minister of Forestry and expressed its concerns at the problem. The Minister has stated that tackling illegal logging is a priority of the new government.

Indonesia: Leuser

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assistance the European Union is providing to the International Leuser Foundation, when it assumes responsibility for the preservation of the 850,000 hectare Gunung Leuser National Park in Acheh, northern Sumatra on 9 November; and whether they are co-operating in efforts to safeguard the wider 2.6 million hectare Leuser Ecosystem.

Baroness Amos: The European Commission (EC) is not providing further direct assistance to the Leuser International Foundation after 9 November 2004 for the management of the Leuser ecosystem. It has always been an objective of the EC support that the foundation should be financed through other sources and not directly by the EC. The Commission has supported the Leuser International Foundation in its efforts to raise funds through the provision of expertise in fund raising and the foundation is finalizing the arrangements for a grant of 500,000 US dollars for the next two years from a major international company. The foundation is optimistic that contacts already made will lead to further grants before the end of the year.
	However, the management of Leuser National Park continues to be highly contested, with a number of NGOs expressing doubts as to whether the Leuser International Foundation will be effective or credible in tackling illegal logging or the new road through the National Park.

Prison Deaths

Baroness Blood: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Home Office circular concerning pre-inquest disclosure where an individual dies in prison in England and Wales also applies in Northern Ireland.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: No Home Office circular has been issued in respect of pre-inquest disclosure in prison deaths in England and Wales. The issue of guidance on such matters in Northern Ireland is for the Northern Ireland Court and Prison Services to consider.

Terrorist Offences: Asylum Applicants

Baroness Cox: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many of those arrested in the past 12 months on suspicion of terrorist offences had at some point applied for asylum in the United Kingdom.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Information on nationality and immigration status can be a key part of the investigation of terrorist offences and the police and Immigration Service work closely together in these cases. The Home Office legislated in the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 to make it easier to deport foreign nationals who have committed serious offences.
	Information on arrests is collated centrally for statistical purposes but is not generally collated for individuals. It would be disproportionate to require the police and courts to obtain, verify and record this information in all cases.
	The available evidence suggests that only a small number of foreign nationals, asylum seekers or refugees commit serious crimes.

House Prices: Ratio to Average Earnings

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the ratio of the average price of a dwelling to average annual earnings for each of the nations and regions of the United Kingdom and for the United Kingdom as a whole, in (a) 1984; (b) 1993; (c) 1997; and (d) 2003.

Lord Rooker: The ratios of average dwelling price to average earnings by Government Office Region are tabled below. Figures for Northern Ireland are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  1984 1993 1997 2003 
			 England 3.65 3.96 4.11 6.38 
			 Wales 3.09 3.65 3.51 4.72 
			 Scotland 3.20 3.81 3.75 3.95  
			 Government Office Regions 
			 North East e2.94 3.45 3.31 4.44 
			 North West e3.11 3.56 3.50 4.67 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 2.93 3.69 3.53 4.72 
			 East Midlands 3.21 3.66 3.61 5.83 
			 West Midlands 3.25 3.93 3.95 5.72 
			 East e4.30 4.14 4.46 7.13 
			 London 4.05 3.90 4.31 6.84 
			 South East e4.20 4.53 4.93 7.84 
			 South West 4.02 3.96 4.20 7.26 
		
	
	e the earnings figures used in the derivation of these ratios are approximations, see below.
	Data sources:
	1. House prices
	The data for 1984 are calculated as simple averages derived from the 5 per cent sample survey of Building Societies Mortgages (BSM).
	The data for 1993 and 1997 are calculated as mix-adjusted averages derived from the 5 per cent sample survey of all mortgage lenders (the Survey of Mortgage Lenders, (SML)), except for the North-West. At the time, the North-West and Merseyside were separate Government Office Regions and the mix-adjusted averages were calculated on this basis. We are only able to produce simple averages for a combined North West and Merseyside region for 1993 and 1997.
	The data for 2003 are calculated as mix-adjusted averages derived from a significantly enhanced sample of all mortgage lenders (SML) for all countries and regions.
	2. Average earnings
	These were based on data from the New Earnings Survey, an annual survey run by the Office for National Statistics. However, 1984 figures are available only by standard statistical region (SSR)—as opposed to Government Office Region (GOR). Consequently the 1984 earnings for some of the GORs were estimated on the following basis:
	North East: figures for the SSR of "North" were used.
	GOR North East = SSR North less Cumbria
	North West: figures for the SSR of "North West" were used.
	GOR North West = SSR North West plus Cumbria
	East: figures for the SSR of "East Anglia" were used.
	GOR East = SSR East Anglia plus Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex
	South East: figures for the SSR of "South East" were used.
	GOR South East = SSR South East less Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex

Cetaceans

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How the Ministry of Defence has assessed the distribution of cetaceans in United Kingdom and other waters.

Lord Bach: The primary responsiblity for conducting assessments of the distribution of cetaceans in United Kingdom and other waters rests with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Defra has conducted a number of surveys on cetaceans, most of which have addressed cetacean bycatch issues. Currently, Defra is contributing about £300,000 to a survey addressing small cetacean abundance in the North Sea and North East Atlantic. This international project will carry out a survey of whales, dolphins and porpoises in the North Sea and European Atlantic waters.
	The Ministry of Defence is also funding research into cetacean distribution. This research is being conducted by various academic and civilian institutions, including Aberdeen University, the Sea Mammals Research Unit (SMRU) at St Andrews University, and the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme. A component of this research involves observational surveys at sea.
	In addition, Royal Navy ships collect observations on marine mammal sightings during normal operations. These sightings are recorded and passed to the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO). Over the last two years, UKHO has received an average of 68 records of cetacean observations per month from Royal Navy sources.
	All records of sightings are held by UKHO on an operational database, which now has several thousand observations of cetaceans. UKHO regularly replies to requests from the public for sightings in a specific area of the world by releasing appropriate unclassified information from that database. The full UKHO database is not available to the public, as some of the information held is classified.
	The Ministry of Defence also refers to data from SRMU and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), as these organisations also hold information on the distribution of cetaceans in UK and North Atlantic waters. Data from SMRU is not readily available to the general public. However, JNCC has produced an atlas of cetacean distribution in north-west European waters. This contains information on animal distribution by species but not by the date of observations of those species. This information can be accessed on www.jncc.gov.uk

Type 23 Frigates: Net Book Values

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the net book value of the vessels HMS "Marlborough", HMS "Grafton" and HMS "Norfolk", all type 23 frigates differ greatly.

Lord Bach: In accordance with resource accounting rules, the net book values of HMS "Marlborough", HMS "Grafton" and HMS "Norfolk" reflect their different ages, purchase prices and expected out-of-service dates.

Information Technology Projects: Oversight

The Earl of Northesk: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether their refusal to make public summaries of independent Gateway reviews of information technology projects is consistent with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Office of Government Commerce is currently considering the disclosure of Gateway information in the light of the full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. There are legitimate concerns about the need to protect both the integrity of the Gateway process and the commercially sensitive information that is contained in the reports.

Casinos: Money Laundering Regulations

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether super casinos present an unusual opportunity for terrorists and criminal gangs to launder money; and what measures they propose to take to ensure that such an opportunity does not become available in this country.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: All casinos are subject to money laundering regulations giving effect to the 2nd EU directive, and will be subject to the requirements of a further directive which is now under discussions between member states with HM Treasury in the lead for the UK Government. It is for the Gaming Board for Great Britain now, and will be for the Gambling Commission in future (subject to enactment of the Bill now before Parliament), to ensure that all casinos fully meet their obligations under money laundering regulations.

Paralympic Games: Athletes with Learning Disabilities

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they recognise the right of athletes with a learning disability to participate in the Paralympic Games.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The Government are committed to ensuring that everyone is given the chance to participate in sport and physical activity, and we fully support all efforts to involve people with disabilities.
	The Government are also aware of the complex issue of classification, within disability sport, and recognises the problems associated with the current national and international classification system.

Paralympic Games: Athletes with Learning Disabilities

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What they are doing to encourage the International Paralympic Committee to reinstate athletes with a learning disability into the Paralympic movement.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The International Paralympic Committee has charged the international community of learning disability sporting organisations to come up with a system of classification that will satisfy the IPC.
	This Government are hopeful that a system of classification will be found that will see athletes with learning disabilities return to compete in the international sporting arena.

Paralympic Games: Athletes with Learning Disabilities

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What discussions have taken place between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the president of the International Paralympic Committee in relation to the exclusion of athletes with a learning disability from the Paralympic Games.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The exclusion of athletes with a learning disability from the Paralympic Games is entirely a matter for the International Paralympic Committee and the international community of learning disability sporting organisations.
	This Government are hopeful that a solution can be found that would secure a future for learning disability sport within the paralympics.

Paralympic Games: Athletes with Learning Disabilities

Lord Pendry: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the event of the International Paralympic Committee voting to ban athletes with a learning disability from the Paralympic movement in November, what plans have been made to assist financially the UK Sport Association for People with a Learning Disability and the English Sport Association for People with a Learning Disability.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Decisions about funding for learning disability sport will be made by Sport England and the English Federation for Disability Sport but not in advance of any possible decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) later this month.

National Savings & Investments: Unclaimed Sums

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the total unclaimed sums handed over by the National Savings & Investments to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt in each of the past 20 years; and what were the sub-totals in each year for:
	(a) unclaimed savings accounts;
	(b) unclaimed premium bonds;
	(c) unclaimed gilt-edged securities at redemption; and
	(d) any other categories of unclaimed monies.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The table below shows National Savings & Investments unclaimed monies by product held by the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, as at 31 March 2004.
	
		
			 Product Amount (£000s) 
			 British Savings Bonds 2,727 
			 Income Bonds 1,579 
			 Pensioners Guaranteed Income Bonds 40 
			 Premium Bonds 23,515 
			 Savings Stamps 5,787 
			 Total 33,648 
		
	
	The Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt do not hold any unclaimed sums for gilt-edged securities at redemption in respect of National Savings & Investments.
	More detailed figures on the amounts held in each of the past 20 years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

National Savings & Investments: Unclaimed Sums

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the criteria for deciding when unclaimed sums in National Savings & Investments should be handed over to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: The following criteria apply for deciding when unclaimed sums in National Savings & Investments should be handed over to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt:
	(1) Premium Bond prizes more than two years old.
	(2) Interest payments more than five years old.
	(3) Products that are off-sale and that have not earned any interest in the previous two years.
	These criteria are set out in:
	National Savings Stamps Regulations 1969 No. 1343 (1969/1343)
	Premium Savings Bonds Regulations 1972 No. 765 (1972/765)
	National Savings Stock Register Regulations 1976 No. 2012 (1976/2012)

Olympic Games 2012: London Bid

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much Sport England has allocated in its budgets for the London 2012 Olympic bid during 2004 and 2005; and how much it expects to spend.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Sport England has allocated £40 million in principle to the Olympic Aquatics Centre, of which £1.5 million of their Lottery funding will be provided to the London Development Agency as a grant for development work on the Aquatics Centre in 2004–05. In addition, Sport England has made a £7 million Lottery Grant to the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority for the Lee Valley Regional Athletics Centre that will be used as a training venue for the Games. The project will be on site in late 2004 and it is anticipated that £4.5–£5 million of Sport England's Grant will be drawn down in 2004–05.
	Sport England has additionally contributed £50,000 towards a feasibility study for the Olympic Velodrome.

Rural Payments Agency: Surveys

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the cost of the third survey being carried out for the Rural Payments Agency by a marketing research company, which is seeking the views of 2,500 farmers on the standard of the agency's service.

Lord Whitty: The cost of the third survey being carried out for the Rural Payments Agency by a marketing research company is £71,175. The costs cover consultancy, a telephone survey of 2,500 customers and subsequent analysis work. The cost also covers presentations of the findings to RPA management, staff and customer groups.

Rural Payments Agency: Surveys

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the cost of the first two customer service surveys carried out by the Rural Payments Agency; on what dates they were completed; and how many responses were received to each survey.

Lord Whitty: The 2002 survey was undertaken by consultants in July of that year at a total cost of £51,997. Feedback was obtained from 2,500 customers through telephone interviews. Consultancy costs included analysis work, reports and presentations to staff and industry groups.
	The 2003 survey was undertaken by a different consultant company at a total cost of £82,213. Again 2,500 interviews were completed over the phone during November. Additional costs were incurred because of the merger of the Rural Payments Agency with the British Cattle Movement Service which resulted in longer interviews to cover extra questions.

Dunblane Inquiry: Public Disclosure

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Evans of Temple Guiting on 25 October (WA 111), which department is the depositing department responsible for giving or withholding permission to make available documents submitted to the Cullen inquiry into the Dunblane tragedy; and when that department will decide on the closure period.

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
	The Public Records (Scotland) Act 1937 makes provision for the preservation, care and custody of the public records of Scotland. There is not, however, any statutory basis for closure of records created by Scottish public bodies.
	By contrast, in England and Wales the Public Records Act 1958 (as amended by the Public Records Act 1967) sets a statutory "closure period" of 30 years after which records must, with limited exceptions, be made available to the public. The 1937 Act does not impose similar obligations on Scottish Executive departments, but in practice those procedures are followed in Scotland.
	The criteria for closures longer than 30 years were defined in a White Paper on open government published in 1993 (Cm 2290), which stated that it is for the department responsible for depositing the material to decide on the closure period.
	Documents containing information about individuals, whose disclosure would cause either substantial distress, or endangerment from a third party to persons affected by disclosure or their descendants can be subject to a variable closure period of between 40 and 100 years.
	At the conclusion of Lord Cullen's inquiry, the papers were lodged with the then Scottish Record Office. As is normal practice, the closure periods were identified by the SRO, in consultation with the secretary to the inquiry and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. In light of the obvious sensitivities in relation to the information about children and alleged offences against them the productions were closed for 100 years. This closure was in accordance with the government guidelines published in the White Paper, Open Government, Cm 2290 (1993), and Lord Cullen was content with these arrangements.
	However, subsequently the Lord Advocate decided that the material from the Dunblane inquiry should be catalogued by staff at the National Archives of Scotland in a way which did not lead to the identification of children. The cataloguing of the productions has recently been completed. Officials from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service are currently reviewing this material and considering what information is suitable for release either in its entirety or in an edited format. However, the sensitive nature of the information contained in some of the material will obviously prevent its release before the end of the 100-year closure period.